DC ORIGINS (JULIE REYES)
The problem with DC is that its major superheroes (Superman and Batman) were the pioneers and the first superheroes. Hence, there stories will always have the edge of being original. # Superman: '''Alien. Sent to earth as a boy when the planet self-destructed. Raised on a farm by a loving couple. (4 stars) # '''Batman: Young boy. Born to billionaire parents. Parents murdered in front of his own eyes. Trains for years in every conceivable academic and martial field. Comes back as a shadow, a master tactician, a silent vigilante (4.5 stars) # Wonder Woman: '''Warrior princess from Amazon. Born to a goddess. Too much mythos (1.5 stars) # '''Green Lantern: '''The chosen one. Chosen to be part of a galactic peace keeping force. Bestowed with the most powerful weapon in the universe. Extra points for creativity (a weapon ring, a charging lantern, the GL oath) (4.5 stars) # '''Flash: '''Scientist, nerd. Perennially late. Mom murdered by an enemy from the future. Dad arrested for Mom's murder. Freak lab accident (chemicals + lightning) grants powers (access to the Speed force). Dies years later trying to save the multiverse. Becomes a bolt of lighning and strikes his past self to become Flash (4.5 stars) # '''Green Arrow: '''Playboy billionaire vigilante - part 2; complete with banal versions of bat-plane, bat-cave, (0.5 stars) # '''Martian Manhunter: '''Last remaining member of Mars. Sort of like Superman (1 stars) # '''Aquaman: Born to a human father and an Atlantean mother. Nothing really exciting. (1 stars) # Captain Marvel: '''A teen boy. Homeless. No family. Chosen by a wizard (Shazam) to be the champion. (2 stars) # '''Cyborg: Mauled to almost death by an alien entity. Scientist father saves life by implanting advanced prosthetics. (1.5 stars) # Animal Man: Derives powers from a spaceship (yawn!) (1 stars) # Atom: '''Scientist. Introvert. Derives powers from a white dwarf star (1 stars) # '''Nightwing: Protege to Batman. Was the first Robin. (1 stars) # Swamp Thing: Scientist. Lab explosion. Boom, powers! (1 stars) # Blue Beetle: (Ted Kord) Too boring (0.5 stars) # Booster Gold: '''Born in 25th century. Poor. Plays football. Caught in a gambling/match-fixing scandal. Becomes a watchman at Metropolis space museum. Steals a few powerful weapons/artifacts. Goes back to 20th century to become a superhero. (3 stars) # '''Deadman: '''Circus artist. Killed. Resurrected to exact revenge by a God (Rama-Kushna, play on Rama-Krishna from the Hindu mythology) (2 stars) # '''Hawkman: Police officer from an alien planet. Sent to earth to capture a criminal. Stays back to fight crime (Why?) (1.5 stars) # Ragman: '''A community rag picker. Wears suits made of rags where each rag is made from the souls of criminals he has punished. (3 stars, 0.5 extra for a different angle) # '''Elongated Man: '''Develops a serum which grants him the ability to elongate his body. (1.5 stars) # '''Plastic Man: Powers from falling onto a chemical solution. (Yawn!) (0.5 star) # Zatanna: '''Born to a magician father. Genetic abilities grant magical powers (1.5 stars) So, there you go: # '''Best stories (4.5 stars): Batman, Green Lantern, Flash # Consolation (4 stars): Superman